(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s rural communities have gained greater political representation in their state’s legislature due to population migration along with new legislative maps, according to findings from the Rural Policy Institute.
The RPI released an executive summary of its forthcoming report, “Rural-Urban Balance in Wisconsin,” which also found rural populations remain substantial even with urban growth, resulting in no single community – rural, suburban, or urban – containing the majority of Wisconsin residents.
“As legislators begin their new terms, it’s essential they recognize that Wisconsin is a largely rural state, and policymakers on both sides of the aisle must understand the significant presence of rural areas in their districts,” RPI’s Executive Director Bob Welch said. “This summary previews a broader conversation about ensuring rural voices are heard and represented effectively in state policy.”
Under the new legislative maps, there are a greater number of districts with significant rural influence. Though rural areas generally tend to lean Republican, the political redistricting could actually lead to increased representation from both parties.
“Interestingly, the new maps are likely to result in an increase of Democratic lawmakers who represent a sizable rural area in both the Assembly and State Senate,” the summary said.
Currently, Wisconsin’s population is 40% urban, 19% suburban, and 41% rural. The rural percentage is broken down into 25% of residents living in completely rural areas and the remaining 16% living in rural-adjacent areas.
The report summary noted that the COVID-19 pandemic may have slowed or even reversed a 40-year trend towards increased urbanization, where Wisconsin’s rural population decreased by 2 percentage points from 1980 to 2020. But between 2020 and 2023, the population of majority rural counties grew faster than the population in majority urban counties.
Out of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, two are 100% rural, 49 are 100% rural adjacent, 20 include suburban areas, and 19 include urban areas. Only one county has no rural area.
